Thick as Thieves
by Miaka Ishida
Summary: When Gambit and a young Storm are still in New Orleans, before meeting the X-Men, they play the parts of a modern day Robin Hood--stealing from the thieves, and giving to the poor. But one particular job may make their lives that much more difficult and
1. Default Chapter

Thick as Thieves  
  
by: Card Gambit  
  
  
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Charactors: Gambit and Storm  
  
Takes place: When Storm is still stuck as a kid with no memory of her past.   
It's during the time the two of them are travelling around and playing Robin  
Hood  
  
Rating: 14A for violence  
  
Notes: Their realtionship is that of a brother and sister, all you sick sick  
people who would think otherwise from reading this story. Gambit is not  
interested in twelve year old girls.  
  
  
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12 year old Storm walked lazily into the kitchen where Gambit sat sprawled out  
on a chair, his feet on the table and a large newspaper held open in front of  
him.  
"G' mornin' chere." He said without looking up. Storm poured herself some  
orange juice and sat down opposite of Gambit.  
"Good morning to you too, Gambit. What are you doing?" She asked.  
"Lookin' f'r a job, 'tite." He said, turning the page. Storm sipped her  
orange juice. His accent was always the strongest in the mornings and late at  
night, and she used to have a hard time understanding what he said. She was  
more used to it now though. Gambit turned the page and scanned the articles.  
"Not'ing, not'ing, not'ing, not'i---" He paused and went back to the article  
he had scanned over. A head shot of beautiful woman in her twenties greeted  
him. In the caption it read "Tasha Rawlings, missing for one week." Storm had  
now picked up interest.  
"What did you find, Gambit? A good one?" She was hoping it was as good as the  
last one. It had been a couple of no name thieves who had somehow managed to  
pull of a bank robbery. Using Gambit's past knowledge of thievery, and Storms  
innocence and pick pocketing knowledge, the two had gotten the money back in  
three days. A new record. Then, like usual they had given the money out to the  
people in need...but of course they had kept a percentage to themselves. They  
had to live somehow, didn't they? Her thoughts were interrupted as Gambit lay  
the paper on the table so she could see it also.  
"A kidnapping?!" Storm demanded, somewhat distressed at her friend and  
partner. They hadn't had a good job for a month or so, and their money was  
quickly depleting. "Gambit, just because she is another beautiful woman does  
not mean we have to save her. It is a waste of time. How will we get any more  
money if we do charity acts of goodwill?" This had happened before. Gambit's  
adoration of beautiful woman had sometimes waylaid him from the more important  
factor of getting them a job with money. There was always some beautiful woman  
kidnapped, and Gambit's idea of a damsel in distress always pulled him to put  
aside money and save her. Of course Storm had had to interject and put him back  
on track. They couldn't afford to do missions just out of the goodness of their  
hearts. Maybe when they weren't in danger of being kicked out into the street  
in a month, but not now.  
"But 'tite. It's a compromise, non? Dere is money involved." Gambit pointed  
to a sentence in the article. Apparently she had gone missing on the way to the  
bank. She was depositing several thousand dollars in cash and some pricey  
jewelry. Storm tapped her fingers on the table. It *was* a compromise.  
"We can keep all de money and jewels. De act of saving her alone is de charity  
work. 'stead of giving de money to de poor, we be savin de life of de beautiful  
femme." Storm thought about it, and slowly nodded her head. The crime sprees  
of The Big Easy were slowing down due to their thorough work. Criminals were  
afraid to steal anything while Gambit and her were still at large. That meant  
they needed some good cash to hold them off until crime picked up again.  
"Did I ever tell you dat y'r gonna turn de heads of all de hommes when you get  
older, 'tite?" Gambit said, giving her his heart-melting smile. Storm grinned  
despite herself, and playfully punched his shoulder.  
"Flatterer." She accused, and then slowly nodded her head. "We can do it,  
Gambit. But if it ever comes down to it--take the money not the 'femme'. We  
need the cash to keep us funded until the crime picks up again." Gambit shook  
her hand in the deal closing fashion.  
"Alright, Stormy. Let's get to work, neh?" He said, standing up, and leading  
the way out.  
"Gambit...do not call me Stormy....." She said as she followed him out the  
door of their cheap apartment.  
  
  
It had only taken four days to get all the information they needed on the  
kidnappers. Gambit was slightly suspicious. Usually a whole bunch of 'threats'  
were needed to scare half the information out of people--especially the friends  
or colleagues of the criminals. But now, all they had to do was ask. It was  
all too easy.....if there was such a thing. Storm didn't seem to notice  
anything amiss. She was a very good judge of personality, and could usually  
catch when people were lying...but she hadn't picked up on anything, or at least  
she hadn't led on that she had. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Maybe  
everyone was just afraid of them, and wanted to get it over with.  
"Remy, you t'ink too much." He muttered to himself as he walked back to the  
apartment.  
"What did you say?" Storm asked. She was walking behind him.  
"Oh, not'ing 'tite. I jus' talkin' to myself. Dat's all." He said. Storm  
nodded. She was edgy today, wanting to do something. Gambit was just the  
opposite though. He was stressed and tired--which was worrisome because this  
had all been so easy. Then the thought also struck her. It was TOO easy. Her  
and Gambit, they'd have to have a talk about the suspiciousness of this whole  
job later that night. And they did. Eight O' clock found them sitting around  
the very same kitchen table.  
"I'm glad y' noticed it too, chere." He said. "I t'ought I was goin' crazy or  
somet'in'." He started off. Storm nodded, her head thinking quickly.  
"I suppose there are two options. We can ignore the fact it is incredibly easy  
and just assume they are new to the business--or we can give up now, and look  
for another job."  
"Gambit don't t'ink we can give up. We're in too deep. I was thinkin' day  
maybe it could be a trap but..at least now we done and got the first move. If'n  
dey really wanna get us, den dey'll do it wether or not we're chasin' after dem.   
At least now we have a bit of a say in where and when it'd happen. Assumin' it  
is a trap, dat is." He said. Storm thought it over. Gambit could always make  
a whole lot of sense when he wanted to. She suspected he could have just as  
easily argued the other side.  
"O' course dis is a group decision, Stormy. If'n y' don't wanna do de job,  
dat's fine wit' me. Dere's no point in both of us doin a job dat only one heart  
is in." She thought it over even more. He was just about to open his mouth and  
say something else when she interrupted him.  
"Alright, Gambit....but on one condition." She said.  
"Anythin', 'tite." He replied.  
"Do not call me stormy."  
Gambit grinned a mischevious grin. "Alright......Stormy."  
  
One weeks later  
  
Much time always had to be made to double check everything. They spent several  
days spying on the old warehouse that the criminals were supposed to be. There  
was about three of them. They never saw the girl, but assumed she could be in a  
basement or a windowless room. Finally they were done. The full misson was so  
far a success. They came to the conclusion that this was not a trap. The  
kidnappers often left revealing lights on at night and walked outside during  
broad daylight. They couldn't have had any idea what they were doing. On one  
of his frequent visits to the roof at night, Gambit came to find a sole  
sunlight. It was so dirty it blended in with the roof, and it was only by his  
trained eyes that he could notice it. That would be their mode of entrance.  
  
  
That night, they came completely prepared. Gambit had bought five decks of  
cards, his bo-staff and his usual outfit. Storm had put on some dark clothes  
and kept the wind at her call. Gambit jumped and Storm flew over to the roof  
and they walked as silently as ghosts on the top. Using a charged card, Gambit  
cleared the debris the had gathered around the edges and he sliced throught the  
lock and rust. They opened it slowly and looked in. It was quiet. They were  
asleep, just like planned. The criminals always went to bed at around ten.   
They didn't even post a guard to stay up and scout for cops!  
"Stormy, don't use your wind in dere 'less y' have to. It might wake dem up."   
Gambit whispered. She nodded. Gambit grabbed her around the waist and jumped  
down to the ground. The landing was as soft as if they had landed on a floor  
covered in pillows. Storm silently praised Gambit of his talent. She wished  
she could do some of the extrordinary things he could do...like land as softly  
as that. The thought was quickly wiped from her head as she became  
professional. The two of them walked quietly into the door that they always saw the three men go into. They assumed it was the bedroom. Preparing several charged cards, Gambit grabbed the door handle and looked back at her. She was floating several inches off the ground, the wind lightly blowing around. He winked at her, and threw open the door.  
  
  
  
  



	2. Thick as Thieves: Park Two

Chapter 2  
  
They were met with the sight of a huge room full of wooden crates. It had no  
other doors or windows. There was nothing but a small pathway otherwise blocked  
by a wall of crates that went to the ceiling. They slowly walked through the  
break of crates to the other side, and were met with the sight of none other  
than the blindfolded girl. She was tied to a chair. They looked around, but  
curiously enough no one else was there. Still cautiously they walked up to her,  
but nothing happened. Storm kept a watch on the door while Gambit untied the  
woman.  
"How're you, chere?" He asked, grinning at her. She brushed off her clothes  
and looked up at him, seemingly noticing him for the first time.  
"What took you so long? Man my eyes hurt. They been blindfolded the whole  
time!" She complained.  
"Did you....have your cash and jewels stolen by them?" Storm asked, hinting  
about her deal about them getting the money no matter what.  
"....what jewels and money?" She asked. Suddenly a look of remembrance came  
over her face. "oh yah...uhh.....I don't know where they put it. Let's just  
go." She replied. Gambit and Storm exchanged looks, and watched as she made  
her way to another door.  
"C'mon, here's the front door." She said. Gambit stood stock still and stared  
at her.  
"How you know where de door is, if'n y'd been blindfolded the whole time?" He  
demanded. She stared back at him, her mind obviously racing. Gambit  
concentrated on making his glare more menacing. His eyes brightened and the red  
glowed like fire. She backed up a bit, visibly intimidated by the ferocity of  
his eyes. Suddenly a shout of warning from Storm broke his concentration. He  
whirled around and saw three burly men walk up behind them.  
"Great job, Tasha. You can go now." The middle one said. Gambit looked back  
at her walking towards the door.  
"Tasha." He shouted over his shoulder. She looked back at him, and the let a  
charged card fly towards her face. She screamed as the card exploded, but he  
had stopped watching by then. His full concentration was on the three men.   
One was holding a chain, the other a lead pipe and the final one had brass  
knuckles on. They had obviously been waiting for them.  
"Look alive dere, Stormy." Gambit said as he threw a handful of charged cards  
at them. She summoned the docile wind and made the cards shoot towards the  
'kidnappers' even faster. The crooks dodged and split up with minimal damage  
and the man with the brass knuckles came towards him. He watched the man with  
the lead pipe advance on Storm. The middle one--the obvious leader stayed where  
he was, methodically wrapping the chain around his hand, over and over--waiting  
for the outcome.  
  
While fighting the brass knuckled man, Gambit snuck a look over at how Storm  
was faring. He knew that she could take care of herself, but this was  
different. It was inside and her powers were noticibly weaker. She had no  
access to lightning, or anything else that couldn't travel through the building  
without killing everyone inside, and her wind was weak. Gambit threw several  
cards in the direction of his attacker hitting him head on, and after seeing him  
laying unmoving on the floor, he faced the man with the lead pipe.  
"D' y' enjoy fighting little children, homme?" He shouted, holding out his  
bo-staff. The man grinned at the chalenge and took a few steps forwards.   
Gambit was just ready for an attack when Gambit heard Storm scream. He looked  
over at her and saw that Tasha was holding onto her, and covering her mouth with  
her hand. He suddenly realized Storm was screaming to warn him. The blow to  
the back of his head make everything flash colourfully. He stumbled forwards a  
few feet and tried to right his thoughts. He was just pulling cards out of his  
trenchcoat when the man with the lead pipe slammed it in his stomach. He  
dropped the cards and doubled over with pain, cursing the fact he had forgotten  
the man with the chain. A knee connected sharply with his face, and at the same  
time the chain wrapped around his ankles, and yanked him off his feet, and onto  
the ground. Looking through his squinting eyes, he saw Storm break free from  
Tasha. She ran a few feet and stopped when she saw him shake his head 'no'.   
She paused regretfully, and flew in the air out of reach. The no had meant go.   
It was a meaning just for moments like this. Tasha seemed unconcerned that she  
had gotten away, and was watching the two men kick Gambit viciously. The girl  
flew up throught the way they had come, and watched what happened next throught  
the sunroof with tear-filled eyes. She left it propped up slightly to hear what  
they'd say. Tasha was still holding one side of her face. When her hand came  
away, Storm saw that the skin was charred and burnt from the card Gambit had  
flung at her. She grinned despite the situation. Tasha was no longer  
beautiful. Gambit was being held up by the lead pipe man and the newly  
recovered brass knuckle man. The man with the chain was swinging the chain  
around idly and pacing back and forth in front of Gambit, who seemed unable to  
stand at all. His head drooped, but Storm could still see a bloody lip, and a  
gash across his forehead. His breathing seemed to pain him itself, and she  
guessed at broken ribs. The brass knuckle man let go for a second and Gambit  
slumped down a bit on his knee. Storm saw that the back of his head was upset  
with blood. She felt a rage rise up inside of her. They were going to pay! It  
was an unfair fight to begin with. She suddenly concentrated when she heard the  
main man speak. He had stopped in front of Gambit and was holding his chin up  
so that he could look him in the eyes. The brass knuckle man was holding him up  
on his side again.  
"Us criminals, we been after you for ages. Not only're you a mutant freak--you  
been gettin' rid of all our merchandise. I heard a snippet that you couldn't  
stand seein' a lady in distress. To top it all off, we put her with money.   
Knew you couldn't refuse the offer." Storm saw Gambit's eyes glaze a bit. He  
was going unconscious. The lead man whacked him on the side of the head until  
Gambit looked back at him.  
"Get him to the basement." The man said, walking away. Storm watched the two  
men half carry, half drag Gambit in through another room. Tasha looked  
nervously at the lead man, opened her mouth to say something but changed her  
mind. Quietly she left the building. The lead man paced around a bit  
muttering, then started looking out the window.  
"That little runt ran off. Hah, bet that made the cajun feel good. His own  
friend deserting him." He laughed a bit, then after half an hour he walked  
through a hidden door in the wall. Storm saw a well lavished room on the other  
side before the door closed. For the first time in her life, Storm had no idea  
what to do. A job had never gone wrong before, and Gambit was always there to  
help her make decisions...but now she was by herself. What should she do? She  
could phone the police...but then they'd know. Gambit always said the police  
should never be called. "People, dey should take care o' dere own problems.   
Den dey'll end f'r good. T'rowin' de people in jail jus' makes dem madder when  
dey get out." The word of advice was so clear, Gambit might as well of been  
there to re-tell it to her. But he wasn't, and she was going to save him.   
Right now! Slowly she lowered herself down the sunroof and landed almost as  
quietly as Gambit could on the pavement floor. She could see a small pool of  
his blood on the ground a few feet away. She went up to the door the two men  
had gone through and listened to the other side. No noise whatsoever. She  
opened it and saw a small grimy descent of stairs. That was all that was in the  
room except another door at the end. She could hear two people arguing on the  
other side.  
"It's your turn to guard!" One voice shouted.  
"I did it last time!" The other growled back. She grinned and made her way  
down the stairs. This must be the basement they had spoke of. It was very  
dark. She wished she could see in it better, but she couldn't. There wasn't a  
single window out, and she groped on the wall till she found a small switch.   
Switching it up, a small dingy light bulb lit the room. It was surprisinly like  
a normal warehouse basement. She went past the crates and found another door.   
Walking through it, she gasped at the transformation the basement went through.   
It was fashioned as a prison, and in the back wall, shackled by his wrists to  
the wall was Gambit. His head was on his chest, and he didn't move.  
"Gambit!" She whispered furiously, as she knelt down by his side. She shook  
his shoulder lightly, and he groaned.  
"Gambit!" She said, louder this time. His eyelids flickered, and his eyes  
opened.  
"Stormy, whachoo doin' here, 'tite?" He asked, his words slurred slightly by  
his split lip.  
"I am going to get you out of here, Gambit. Do you think you can walk?" She  
asked.  
"Anythin' f'r a friend, Stormy." He replied. She studied the shackles and  
noticed them to be of primitive make. All it was was an iron pin holding it  
closed. She opened them and Gambit slumped on his hands and knees.  
"Jus gimme a minute, 'tite. I be alright in a moment." She waited patiently  
until he had caught his breath and regained his composure, before he stood up  
shakily. Storm stood next to him, and flinging an arm over her shoulder, Gambit  
walked steadily by her side. They made it up the stairs slowly but surely, and  
passed the door where the two goons were arguing. The most suspensful part was  
when they passed quiet as ghosts past the wherabouts of the hidden door, and it  
seemed like hours before they reached the crisp cold air of the early morning.   
In the distance, the sun was threatening to rise any moment.  
"'tite...Gimme a moment." Gambit said, limping over to the building wall.   
There he firmly placed his two hands and slowly but surely, the wall began to  
flare a light red. He paled visibly and began to sweat, but kept at it. He had  
to time it right so he wouldn't disturb the buildings beside him, but enough to  
kill everyone inside. Hoping his estimate was right--he let go, and running  
next to Storm, the two of them made it behind a car before the explosion rocked  
the street. Gambit and Storm hit the ground, and Gambit threw his arm over  
Storms back, protecting the two of them from falling debris with his trench  
coat. The people inside never even got a chance to scream.  
  
  
Several alley's behind them, a woman with a half burnt face watched with scorn  
and disgust at the pair before she ran off into the shadows.  
  
The End  
  
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That was a fun story to write. I think I'll write more about Gambit and  
Storm's adventures of robbing criminals, and Tasha is a sure return. She'll be  
angry at Gambit for making her ugly.  
  
~*Card  
Gambit*~  
  
  
  
  



End file.
